The Escape Artist
by yesterdaywasoncetomorrow
Summary: Could the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs make a mistake? Could NCIS have put the wrong person away? In a race to find the truth, Gibbs and the team struggle to separate the truth from the lies. If not handled properly, this case could bring about unrelenting repercussions for NCIS. And it may just cost the agency it's reputation.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Feedback is always welcome. The next chapter will be longer.**

Leroy Jethro Gibbs sipped his coffee, and listened to the quiet hum of the elevator. The elevator doors clanged open, and noise washed over him as he stepped out into the bullpen. He sat down at his desk, ready to start the day. Over the next hour, the rest of Gibbs' team arrived, one by one. McGee was the first to arrive, he entered the bullpen, dressed casually, with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Brought you a refill, Boss," McGee said, as he handed one of the coffees to Gibbs. "Black, like you like it."

"Thanks, McGee." Gibbs didn't look up from the file on his desk as he accepted the coffee.

Next to arrive, was Ellie Bishop, the newest addition to the team. Bishop's blond hair was tied back, and she wore jeans and a blazer.

"Good Morning, everyone!" Bishop exclaimed as she sat down behind her desk.

"Good Morning, Bishop," McGee replied.

Gibbs grunted in response.

An hour passed, and DiNozzo had yet to arrive.

"Does anyone know where DiNozzo is?" Gibbs asked.

"Isn't he here?" Bishop said. "His car is in the parking lot."

Gibbs stood and approached Tony's desk. His desk lamp was on, and his dinner from the night before sat under the glow of his computer screen, uneaten. An opened email was pulled up on his computer. It was from the Director.

_Agent DiNozzo,_

_Report to my office. Immediately. _

_Speak to no one on the way._

_Vance_

Gibbs read the email. He unplugged Tony's computer so that no one else could read it, strode out of the bullpen, and up the stairs to Director Vance's office. He walked past the receptionist, and tried to open Vance's door. It wouldn't budge. He turned to face the shocked receptionist.

"I need to see the Director. Now."

"I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs. The Director's office has been on lock down since I arrived this morning. I tried to call in, but he won't answer. I'm starting to think he might not be in there," the receptionist said with a shaky voice. Gibbs scared her, that much was obvious.

Gibbs pulled out his cell phone, and quickly dialed the Director's number. No answer. He dialed DiNozzo's number. No answer. He faced the door to Director's office, raised his fist high in the air, and banged on the door three times. He waited. The door didn't open.

Gibbs paced back and forth in front of the Director's door. _What else can I do? _After several minutes of pacing, Gibbs did the only thing he could do. He went back downstairs to the bullpen. McGee and Bishop watched him with wide eyes, obviously confused. As Gibbs sat down behind his desk, McGee spoke up.

"Boss, what's going on?" McGee asked.

"Call DiNozzo's phone until you get an answer. Bishop, you call Director Vance's phone until you get an answer."

"Boss, wh-"

"Now, McGee. Don't ask questions, just do it."

Bishop, and McGee began making calls, while Gibbs leaned back in his chair and pondered the situation. It was unlike Tony to leave his food uneaten. Something must have happened the night before.

The elevator bell dinged, and a load of people stepped off, including a beautiful woman. Her dark brown hair seemed to shine under the fluorescent lights, making each long brunette curl glow, and dance as she walked. She wore a white suit with a black blouse. Her right eye was blackened, and she wore no make up to conceal it. In her right hand was a large manila envelope. The woman walked right past the bullpen, and headed up the stairs. There was something suspicious about her. She was only upstairs for a moment, and when she began to descend the stairs, Gibbs noticed that the envelope she had been holding was gone. The woman walked past the bullpen for the second time, got on the elevator, and was gone.

_Ring. Ring. _The phone on Gibbs' desk began to ring, he picked it up immediately.

"Gibbs," he said.

"Gibbs, it's Leon. I need you to come up to my office. Bring your team."

Before Gibbs could protest, Vance hung up the phone.

"Come on," Gibbs growled.

"Where are we going, Boss?" McGee asked.

"The Director wants to see us."

"What about Tony?" Bishop asked.

"He's already up there."

"How do you know? Oh. Right. Your gut. Got it, Boss."


	2. Chapter 2

"Gibbs, we've got a problem." Director Vance was sitting behind his desk. He was wearing the same suit as the day before and his tie hung loosely around his neck. Tony was pacing the floor with his cell phone pressed tightly against his ear. He was whispering in rushed, urgent tones.

"You're damn straight we've got a problem, Leon." Gibbs put his hands on Vance's desk and leaned forward. "This is a _team_. And the last time I checked, _my team_ doesn't keep secrets."

Vance stood up in anger. "Now isn't the time for that, Gibbs. DiNozzo has been on the phone with the FBI for the last hour. We've had a serious security breach."

Tony hung up his call. "Okay, Director. Fornell is doing damage control over at the FBI. He says that he can keep it quiet long enough for us to fix the situation."

"What is the damn _situation_?!" Gibbs asked angrily.

"Fill him in, DiNozzo. If you'll excuse me for a moment, a package has been dropped off for me." Vance left the room to talk to his receptionist about the mysterious package, leaving a nervous looking DiNozzo in front of an angry looking Gibbs.

"Start talking."

"Boss, do you remember the Adler case?" Tony asked.

"Of course I remember the Adler case, DiNozzo. It's only been a month."

"Well, there was a delay in processing, and Adler wasn't transferred to Gitmo as quickly as she should have been. She took advantage of the delay in processing, and managed to escape two weeks ago."

"You're telling me that she escaped the Navy Yard holding cell?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Yes, Boss."

"And how in the hell did she do that?"

"She faked her death. When the body was being transported, she made her escape."

"Bishop, get me all the files on the Adler case. Put out a BOLO for Rory Adler. McGee, get me security camera footage from the holding cell, and from the bullpen about an hour ago," Gibbs ordered. Bishop left the room immediately, McGee lingered.

"Boss, why do you want me t-"

"_Now_, McGee."

"On it, Boss." McGee left the room, leaving Tony and Gibbs alone.

"_Why am I just hearing about this now?_" Gibbs asked as he approached Tony.

"The Director needed some information on Adler last night, and I just kinda stuck around to help, Boss. He's the one who wanted to be secretive."

Gibbs raised his hand and swiftly slapped the back of Tony's head.

"You broke rule #3 and rule #15 in less than twenty four hours, DiNozzo."

"Sorry, Boss. Rule #3 never be unreachable. What was rule #15 again?" Tony asked.

"Always work as a team, DiNozzo."

"Got it, Boss. I'll go help McGee." Tony slipped out of the room, happy to escape a second head-slap from Gibbs.

Gibbs turned to leave, but stopped short of seeing Vance reentering the office, shaking with anger.

"What is it, Leon?" Gibbs asked.

Leon handed Gibbs a large manila envelope.

"Someone dropped this off an hour ago. All my receptionist knows is that it was a dark haired woman."

Gibbs opened the envelope and withdrew several large black and white photographs. Vance began to pace back and forth across the room.

"They're stills from the security cameras in the Navy Yard holding cell. They're all pictures of Adler making her great escape. Who could get access to this?" Vance asked incredulously.

Gibbs looked closely at one of the photographs which was a close up of Adler playing dead in her cell. His eyes lingered on her pale face.

"Dammit, Leon!" Gibbs exhaled angrily. "I know who dropped these photos off. It was Adler."

"What do you mean, Gibbs? That's impossible. She'd have to be insane to walk in here."

"I saw her get off the elevator, but she looked different. She changed her appearance, so that we wouldn't be able to tell it was her. She dyed her hair. I should have known."

"Why would she give me these photos? There was no note, just the pictures."

Gibbs thought for a moment, trying to put himself in Adler's shoes.

"I don't know, Leon. But you can bet your ass that I'll find out."

Gibbs put the photos back in the envelope, and turned to leave the office, but Vance stopped him.

"Gibbs, I want to know how she managed to fool the guards at the holding cell. I want to know why the hell she would come back to the Navy Yard after successfully getting away. And most of all, I want to know where she is," Vance said seriously. He looked Gibbs straight in the eye as he spoke. Gibbs nodded, and left the office with the envelope in his hand.

As he descended the staircase, Gibbs pulled out his phone and dialed Abby's number.

"Abs, I've got something for you to analyze. I want fingerprints."


	3. Chapter 3

Rather than going to the bullpen, Gibbs got on the elevator and headed down to Abby's lab. As always, the music was deafening and the positive energy was tangible. Abby was at her desk, typing away on her computer.

"Hey Abs. What are you doing?" Gibbs asked as he approached her.

Abby looked up with a smile, and turned down the music so that he could hear her.

"Hey Gibbs. I was just adding some finishing touches to my report on the Adler case," Abby said.

"Well, you'd better hold off on those finishing touches," Gibbs said. "The Adler case has been reopened. Somehow, she managed to escape from her holding cell."

"What?!" Abby exclaimed. "How could she escape? Are you messing with me, Gibbs?"

"I'm not messing with you, Abs. That's not all. She was here earlier. I don't know how she got past security, but she did. I don't know how she got past me either."

"Why would she come back to the Navy Yard? Isn't that risky?" Abby asked, feeling nervous that a criminal like Rory Adler could slip past security.

"She came back to drop this off." Gibbs handed Abby the envelope. "So many people have touched it by now, Abs, I don't know if you'll be able to get an accurate print. But I need you to try."

Abby peeked inside the envelope and then stood up, suddenly excited. "You got it, Gibbs. When you come back I'll be able to tell you where this came from, when the photos were printed and a whole lot more."

"Thanks, Abs." Gibbs left Abby's lab, and got back on the elevator. Still, he didn't return to the bullpen, instead he went down to Autopsy.

* * *

"Mr. Palmer!" Ducky called. He waited for an answer.

"Yes, Doctor?" Palmer called back.

"What are you doing under there?" Ducky bent over to get a better look at Jimmy Palmer, who was on his hands and knees underneath one of the autopsy tables.

"I found a stain on the linoleum, Doctor. I'm trying to clean it, but it's a tough one," Palmer replied. He scrubbed the floor with one hand, and pushed his falling glasses back onto his nose with the other.

"What are you using?"

"Water..." Palmer answered.

"I think you'll have an easier time if you go get a surface cleaner from the janitor's closet."

"Good idea, Doctor." Jimmy stood, and straightened his scrubs. "I'll go do that." Jimmy marched toward the door, and passed Gibbs on his way out.

"Good morning, Agent Gibbs."

"Morning, Palmer," Gibbs muttered. Once the autopsy doors closed behind him, Gibbs and Ducky were alone.

"What can I do for you, Jethro?" Ducky asked, with a small smile for his friend.

Gibbs sat down on one of the autopsy tables, and took a deep breath.

"The Adler case has been reopened, I need you to tell me everything you can about Rory Adler."

"Why has the case been reopened? Surely you didn't make a mistake," said Ducky quietly.

"I don't know, Duck. Apparently, Adler escaped from her holding cell before she could be shipped off to Gitmo."

"She escaped from her holding cell on the Navy Yard?" Ducky asked incredulously.

"Yep. And she came back this morning to drop off some surveillance photos of her making her great escape. She walked right past me, and I didn't notice that it was her. She changed the color of her hair, and she fooled me. I just can't shake this feeling that she's trying to prove something."

"Jethro, she intended to fool you. But I guarantee you won't let it happen again. I know you wont, so don't beat yourself up about it. Now, is it possible that Rory Adler is innocent? Is it possible that you missed something during your investigation?"

"I don't know, Duck."

"When I did a profile on Miss Adler last month, I noticed that she had a strong thirst to prove herself. Perhaps her arrest was such a large blow to her ego, that she feels the need to prove that she's better than you, and better than NCIS as a whole."

"What else did you learn about her that could help the investigation?"

"From watching the recording of your last interrogation of her, I picked up that she's very strong minded, and strong willed. She's very intelligent, Jethro, and that may prove to be challenging for you. To be honest, she's a lot like you. I think the key to your investigation will be that you have to put yourself in _her_ shoes. That's the only way you'll get to the bottom of things."

The autopsy doors slid open, and Jimmy Palmer entered the room holding a large spray bottle.

"I found it, Doctor," Palmer said with a grin.

Gibbs hopped off of the autopsy table and patted Ducky on the back.

"Thanks, Duck." Gibbs left autopsy, finally ready to head to the bullpen and get to work.


	4. Chapter 4

"I don't understand why the Boss wants me to do this," McGee murmured, his eyes were glued to his computer screen.

"What are you talking about, McGee?" Tony asked from behind his desk.

"Boss wants me to pull the security camera footage from the bullpen from this morning. Why would he want me to do that?" McGee asked.

"I'm sure it's relevant to the case," said Bishop. She was seated on the floor between McGee and DiNozzo's desks.

"It is," called a voice from across the room. Gibbs was reentering the bullpen with a determined look on his face. "What have you got?"

Bishop jumped to her feet, anxious to speak. "Rory Adler used an ATM in Chevy Chase this morning. The security camera footage is being pulled as we speak."

Tony took advantage of the short silence, and shared what he had learned. "Boss, when we worked on this case for the first time, we missed something _big_. Since 1989 Rory Adler has been in a relationship with Martin Armando."

"The mobster guy who blew up that 7-Eleven last year?" Bishop asked, with her mouth full of granola bar.

"It's pronounced Mar-teen," McGee corrected.

"It doesn't matter how it's pronounced McGee. What matters is how the hell we missed something like that," Gibbs said sternly.

"Adler's sister died in that 7-eleven explosion last year. Photographs from the funeral were in the local newspaper, in this picture," Tony clicked the clicker and a black and white photo appeared on the plasma, " Rory Adler attends her sister's funeral hand in hand with Martin Armando."

"Why would she hold hands with the man who just murdered her sister?" Bishop asked.

"Maybe she doesn't know Armando was responsible for the explosion?" Tony suggested.

"Or maybe it's a forced relationship?" McGee suggested.

"Since 1989? That's a long time for a forced relationship," Gibbs said quietly. "Did anyone get the security footage from the ATM yet?"

"I just got it," McGee said, as he typed away on his computer.

"Put it up."

A soundless video popped up onto the plasma and began to play. Rory Adler approached the ATM slowly, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds. She inserted her card, and began to make a transaction. Her newly dark hair was pulled up into a bun on the top of her head, and she wore jeans and a black zip up sweatshirt.

"How much cash did she take out?"

"She didn't withdraw any money. She was checking her balance," McGee answered.

"What was the balance?" Bishop asked.

"250,000 dollars."

"Do you think that's her money? Or is it Martin Armando's?" Tony suggested.

"It's her money," McGee answered.

"How do you know, McSmarty-pants?" Tony asked.

"Because I know where it came from. I hacked into the FBI database. Rory Adler has been an FBI informant for the past ten years," McGee said quietly.

"You hacked into the FBI database?" Bishop asked incredulously.

"Wouldn't the FBI have stepped in when we arrested her last month if she was an informant?" Tony asked.

"Not if she committed the crime she was arrested for," Gibbs said. "They couldn't have interfered, the evidence was solid. We had her finger prints on the murder weapon, and her DNA at the crime scene. Abby is never wrong."

"What if her DNA was planted? It's possible. Remember when it happened to me?" Tony asked, frowning at the memory.

"McGee, go and help Abby. Tell her I need her to go over the evidence from the first Adler case. Tell her it's possible that it may have been planted," Gibbs ordered.

As McGee headed toward the elevator, the phone on Bishop's desk began to ring. She picked it up. She scribbled something down on a note pad, and then hung up.

"BOLO came back on Adler. She's at a motel in Chevy Chase. She just got a room for the night."

"Grab your gear."

* * *

The motel was cheap. Bishop got the room number from the front desk. The team approached Room 5 with their weapons withdrawn. Gibbs raised his fingers and quietly counted to three. He kicked the door hard causing it to swing open and clash with the wall. The team infiltrated the room. The window on the back wall was open, the dingy curtains danced in the cool breeze. On the other side of the wall, an engine roared to life, and the sound of tires spinning on gravel filled the air.

"Dammit," Gibbs muttered. "She knew we were coming."

"Boss, look at this." The room was neat, Adler hadn't been there long. A small pistol lay on the pillow.

"It looks like she forgot her gun," Bishop said.

"She's been so careful so far, why the hell would she forget a gun?" Tony asked.

Gibbs remembered Ducky's advice. He tried to put himself in Rory Adler's shoes.

"She didn't forget the gun. She left it on purpose," he said.

"The gun's a clue? Like the surveillance photos she left for Director Vance?" Bishop asked.

"Yep," Gibbs answered. "Bag it and tag it. Let's get it back to Abby."


	5. Chapter 5

At the end of the night, Gibbs found himself in his basement trying to clear his mind. Saw dust filled the air, and the heat of a glass of bourbon still burned in his throat. There was something about this case that bothered him. If his team _had_ made a mistake and wrongly arrested Rory Adler, then why would she escape from her holding cell only to hang around D.C.? Why wouldn't she flee?

Gibbs heard his front door open and close. He looked up when he heard heavy footsteps descending the stairs into the basement. Ducky offered him a small smile as he approached the work table. Gibbs refilled his glass, and poured a fresh one for Ducky.

"What can I do for you, Duck?" Gibbs asked as he sipped his bourbon.

"Well, I wanted to come by and see how you were doing," Ducky explained.

"You wanted to see how I was doing?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, Jethro. I wanted to see how you were doing. Is that a crime?"

Gibbs chuckled. "No, Duck. That's not a crime."

Ducky swirled his bourbon around in the glass before taking a small sip. "To be honest, Jethro, I'm here because I know this case has had an effect on you."

"And what kind of effect is that?"

"Well, normally you have little trouble reading people. You can almost always tell when someone is lying to you. But there's something about Miss Adler that makes her hard to read. You can't tell what her next move is, and I can tell it's bothering you. You feel guilty that you may have wrongly arrested Rory Adler, but at the same time, you feel angry by the way she's handling the situation," Ducky said confidently.

"I just love having my head probed, Duck."

"Yes, well if there's anyone in this world who can probe your head, it's me. But I'm right, aren't I?" Ducky asked as he finished his bourbon.

Gibbs began to pace back and forth. "It's like she thinks this is a game or something. She has the answers I need, but I can't get to her. She always manages to slip away at the last minute, Duck. Vance is putting pressure on me to solve this case, and her trail is about to turn cold."

"If it helps at all, I've done a profile on Martin Armando," Ducky said quietly.

"What do you got?"

"Based on what I learned about Rory Adler, I've determined that she's smart, and she's driven but she doesn't have the resources to pull off some of the things she's done. Martin Armando has to be helping her. He's a well-known advocate of organized crime here in D.C., he's obviously got friends in high places. He knows which strings to pull to get what he wants. He's possessive of Adler. I'd bet anything that he was responsible for Adler's escape from the Navy Yard holding cell."

"But what about the clues, Duck?" Gibbs asked. "She's leaving me clues, is he involved in that?"

"No, I don't think he even knows about the clues. Which makes me wonder why she's leaving them. Martin Armando obviously has a temper, hence the 7-Eleven explosion last year. Why would she risk setting him off?" Ducky asked.

Something flashed in Gibbs' eyes. Understanding.

"Because he framed her, Duck. He framed her for the murder of that Marine last month to punish her for something, and then he busted her out of the holding cell. You're right, Duck. He's been pulling the strings all along, and now she's trying to prove her innocence."

"Possessive to a fault," Ducky said quietly.

"You're a lifesaver, Duck."

Ducky chuckled as he set his empty glass down, and turned to leave.

* * *

The next morning Gibbs strode into the bullpen, determined to make substantial progress with the case.

"McGee!" Gibbs barked. "Track Martin Armando's phone records, and bank accounts. DiNozzo, Bishop, I want Martin Armando's home address, and current location. Now."

"Did you find something new, Boss?" Tony asked apprehensively.

"Martin Armando framed Rory Adler the first time around, and then he arranged for her escape from the holding cell. Once Abby's done processing the gun Adler left behind, we'll get a warrant to search Armando's house."

"What are we trying to find at his house, Boss?" Bishop asked.

"Something that will lead us to Rory Adler. And Rory Adler is going to give us the answers we need. She won't slip away again."


	6. Chapter 6

Martin Armando's house was surprisingly small for a millionaire. The car rolled to a stop on a quiet street in an upper class neighborhood in Chevy Chase, Gibbs turned the car off and stepped out. He slammed the door and approached the house with Tony, McGee, and Bishop on his heels. He rang the bell.

At first no one answered. A shuffling sound came from behind the door, before it swung open. A tall man with slicked back, black hair stood in the door frame. He wore a pair of black silk pajamas.

"NCIS. Agent Gibbs. We're here to search your home," Gibbs said, as he showed his badge.

The man didn't move.

"Did you say Gibbs?" The man asked. He had a slight Italian accent, despite the fact that he was born and raised in the U.S..

"Martin Armando," Gibbs said as he pulled an envelope out of his pocket, "We have a warrant."

"I've heard all about you, Agent Gibbs. Please, come in." Martin Armando stepped back, allowing the agents to come inside.

"Is your girlfriend here?" Tony asked as he stepped into the elegantly furnished living room. "Or are you all alone?"

"I live alone. But the maid is here if that's what you're asking," Martin Armando said quietly.

"You live alone?" Tony repeated as he examined the decor. "Are you sure about that? Obviously, this place has a feminine touch."

"My girlfriend did live with me, but she's living on her own now."

"Why is that?" Gibbs asked from the kitchen.

"You two break up or something?" Tony asked.

"No. We are still very much in love. It seems as though all of you know more about her than you're letting on."

"Well, Rory Adler has been a well known person at the Navy Yard lately," Bishop said quietly.

"How so?" Martin Armando asked.

"Don't pretend like you don't know," Gibbs said firmly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop with the games," Gibbs demanded.

McGee stepped into the room, holding a small piece of paper in his hand.

"Boss, I found this paper with Rory's name on it in the study. It has a number and address," he said.

"Cuff him, DiNozzo."

Tony removed his cuffs from where they were secured at his waist, and roughly put them on Martin Armando.

"I'm going to that address, and I'm going to personally search for Rory Adler. And when I find her, you'll go to prison for a long time,"Gibbs said quietly, yet threateningly.

"For what?" Martin Armando spat.

"McGee, what are his charges?" Gibbs asked nonchalantly.

"Murder, Murder, and... Murder. 3 counts, I think. One for Rory Adler's sister, another for the clerk inside the 7-eleven, and a third for the marine that you killed when you framed Rory Adler."

"I didn't frame anybody!" Martin Armando hissed. "Why would I frame my own girlfriend? We've been together for years!"

"Because you're possessive. She tried to leave you last year, didn't she?" Tony asked with a knowing look.

"Of course not."

Gibbs stepped in. "She tried to leave you, so you killed her sister so that she wouldn't have anywhere to go. You're pathetic."

"I'm Martin Armando, I get what I what. You'll see soon enough."


	7. Chapter 7

A sleek black car rolled to a stop on a dark street. The street was lined with townhouses, and fancy cars. Obviously, this was a place for the wealthy. Headlights shinned brightly into the night for a long moment, as though the driver was collecting himself. Suddenly, the engine shut off, and the headlights were extinguished, making the street dark once more. Special Agent Gibbs stepped out of the car and onto the street. He was alone as he strode across the small yard, and approached the front door. He slipped a small piece of paper out of his pocket to make sure that he was at the right address, before knocking three times upon the door. He put his hand on his gun as he waited.

A quiet scratching noise came from behind the door. Gibbs recognized the sound as a window being opened. He didn't hesitate, he raised his foot, and kicked the door open. Gibbs entered the front room, with his gun raised, he searched the room. _Nothing. _He moved into the kitchen, and hastily searched the room. _Nothing. Wait. The window is open! _A cool night breeze blew in through the open window, giving Gibbs a chill. He moved toward the window and caught sight of a dark haired woman sprinting off into the woods. Once again, he didn't hesitate. His NCIS cap fell off of his head as he dived out of the open window. He jumped to his feet and sprinted off after the dark haired woman. _That has to be Rory. _The woods were dark, with his sight limited, Gibbs ran in the direction of the woman's footsteps. He was practically running blind. Branches scratched his face as he sprinted through the thick brush. He knew that he gaining on her when the sweet scent of her perfume danced around his nose. Mixed with the natural scent of the forest, the smell was almost intoxicating.

Gibbs reached out into the darkness and grabbed the back of her shirt, he pulled her towards him in attempt to stop her. She kept moving, ripping the fabric as she struggled to get away from him. Her shirt was in pieces as it fell from her sprinting body. She was left in a white undershirt, which made her much more easy to see, even in the darkness. Gibbs cursed, and continued to chase her. Finally, when he was close enough, he dove through the air and tackled her to the ground.

Rory Alder barely had time to react. Once second, she was running and the next she was slammed into the dirt with the full weight of Leroy Jethro Gibbs pinning her to the ground. She struggled to get free, but before she could, Gibbs flipped her over onto her stomach and began to cuff her hands behind her back.

"Get up, Adler," Gibbs grunted as he climbed to his feet, completely out of breath.

Rory got on her knees, and then Gibbs pulled her up the rest of the way.

"Damn you, Gibbs," Rory spat. Her white undershirt was now stained with dirt, and like Gibbs, her face was covered in scratches.

Gibbs grabbed Rory's arm and began to pull her along through the woods back toward the townhouse.

"Lucy, you've got some explaining to do," Gibbs muttered as he stomped through the leaves and the dirt, dragging Rory Adler along with him.

* * *

Gibbs sat across from Rory in the interrogation room. He didn't speak as he stared at her.

"Are you going to say anything? Because, if not I have other things I could be doing," Rory said as she stared right back at Gibbs. She looked like a wild woman, with leaves in her messy hair, and dirt stains on her clothes.

"You're not going anywhere," Gibbs replied.

"Why not?"

"Because I need answers, and you're going to give them to me."

Rory sighed. "I can't believe I let you bring me back here. I should of ran faster, pushed myself harder. Are you gonna lock me up for something I didn't do again?"

Gibbs stood. "Drop the attitude, Rory. I'm trying to help you."

"How so?"

Gibbs glared at her. "Do you know who framed you?"

"Yes."

"It was Martin."

Rory looked taken aback. She looked at Gibbs for a long moment.

"How do you know about Martin?" she asked.

"He framed you. And he helped you escape afterwards," Gibbs said.

"He didn't frame me..."

"So you're not denying that he helped you escape?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course not. He didn't help me do anything," Rory stated angrily.

Gibbs put both of his hands on the table top, and leaned closer to Rory. He could see the lies in her eyes.

"Stop lying to me."

"I'm not," Rory countered.

Gibbs leaned even closer.

"Just tell me what happened. And if Martin _did_ happen to help you escape, like I know he did, then maybe I can have your charges cleared," he bargained.

"You can't do that," she said.

"Trust me, I can."

Rory's eyes flashed to the camera in the corner of the room. "Turn the cameras off," she said quietly.

Gibbs turned to face the one-way mirror behind him. He raised his hand to his throat and made a swiping motion. Suddenly, the red light on the camera was extinguished. He turned back to Rory with expecting eyes.

"Make whoever's in there leave."

Gibbs jerked his head to the right, and the sound of a door slamming echoed through out the interrogation room.

"Shoot."

"Martin helped me break out of my holding cell. He visited me the day before, and he slipped me a pill. He told me to take it that night when I went to sleep, and that he would handle everything else. The next morning, I woke up in a hotel room in Chevy Chase. I don't know how he did it."

"What was the pill?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know."

"Can you describe what it looked like?" he asked.

"It was round, and white."

"Any letters or numbers on it?"

"No. I checked."

Gibbs pulled out his cell phone and stepped out of the room. He was gone for 2 minutes, and then he came back and sat down.

"Who was that?" Rory asked.

"My forensic specialist. She's going to find out what that pill was, so that we can trace it back to Armando," Gibbs said.

"If he finds out that I told you this, he's going to kill me. You know that right?"

"He won't find out."

"You don't understand, Gibbs. He's been watching you. He knows every move you've made. He tipped me off the other day at the motel. That's how I was able to leave you the gun on the pillow without him finding out," she explained.

"He's not watching me anymore," Gibbs countered.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I arrested him last night before I found you."

"He's here on the Navy Yard?" she asked.

"Yes."

"If he helped me escape, then what makes you think _he_ can't escape?"

"The Navy Yard is on high alert. He's under maximum security. He's not going anywhere," Gibbs explained.

"Then am I free to go now?" she asked. "You said if I told you what I knew, that you'd let me go."

"I have to talk to the Director first."

"You're not going to put me in a holding cell are you? If Martin sees me, I'm screwed."

"No, you can wait here. He won't find out."

Gibbs stood and left the room, leaving Rory Adler suddenly scared for her life.


	8. Chapter 8

Director Vance sat behind his desk, and tried to keep his cool. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He sat very still, and listened to what Gibbs was saying.

"I made a deal with Rory Adler. She gave me information about Martin Armando, and I told her I would have all of her charges dropped," Gibbs said sternly. "And I want you to back me on this, Leon."

"You didn't have permission to make any kind of deal with Rory Adler," Vance said quietly. He stood up, and looked Gibbs square in the eye. "I will not back you on this. I want Rory Adler under maximum security in a holding cell, _now_."

Gibbs held Vance's gaze. "I can't do that, Leon. I promised her that she'd be free to go. She gave me enough evidence to put Martin Armando away for a long time."

"You also promised me that you'd solve this case. You haven't solved anything. You've got both Martin Armando and Rory Adler in custody, which one is guilty?" Vance demanded.

"Armando," Gibbs said matter-of-factly.

"Evidence?" Vance asked smartly.

Gibbs shuffled his feet before answering. "We've got Armando's print on the murder weapon."

"I distinctly remember you telling me that Adler's print was on the murder weapon, along with a partial print that Ms. Sciuto couldn't match. Now you're trying to tell me that the print belongs to Martin Armando?"

"Adler left a gun behind in her motel room. The gun was covered with Armando's prints. Abby matched one of his prints to the partial print on the murder weapon from the first Adler case," Gibbs explained.

"So she left behind another clue, did she?"

"I know she's innocent, Leon. And I know that I can get more information out of her."

"Are you sure you're not getting to involved on this case? Personally, I mean?" Vance asked quietly.

"What's that supposed to mean, Leon?" Gibbs asked angrily.

"You know what it means, Gibbs." Vance straightened his tie, and sat back down behind his desk. "You have to get more out of Adler before I can even consider letting her go."

"He drugged her, you know. He visited her in her holding cell, and gave her a pill. He told her to take the pill before she went to sleep, she did and the next morning she woke up in a hotel room. Armando was the one who broke her out of holding," Gibbs said as a final note as he moved to the door.

"He didn't force her to take the pill though, did he?" Vance asked.

"No, he didn't force her to take it, Leon."

"Exactly. Get more out of her, or she stays in holding."

Gibbs let the door slam behind him.

* * *

Abby typed away on her computer. Her eyes scanned the screen as she took in the search results. She picked up her phone and dialed Gibbs' number. It rang twice before he answered.

"Gibbs."

"Gibbs, I need you to come to the lab, I've got results for the pill Adler took," Abby said brightly.

"I'm already here, Abbs," Gibbs said from the doorway. He smiled a sly smile when Abby jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Gibbs!" she hissed. "You scared me."

Gibbs handed her a fresh Kaf-Pow, and glanced at the computer screen. "What do ya got?"

"Considering that it's been more than 48 hours since Adler took the pill and escaped holding, her blood test results came back negative. Which is no big surprise. Based on her description of the pill, I've determined that Martin Armando gave her some sort of Muscle Relaxer, a strong one. The Muscle Relaxer caused her heart rate to decrease to a dangerously low rate, which also made her appear dead to anyone who checked her heart rate. That's how she escaped."

"Good work, Abbs." Gibbs planted a kiss on Abby's cheek before he left the lab.


	9. Chapter 9

_*** The Italicized text is a flashback. Thanks for reading, feedback is always welcome.**_

Martin Armando held his head high as he waited to be interrogated. He wasn't worried. Soon his crew would notice his absence from their daily activities, and begin to search for him. Once they realized that he was in holding at the Navy Yard, they would help him escape, just as he had helped Rory escape. _Rory. _Even the thought of her name caused him to feel things he wasn't proud of. He always said that he would never fall in love. All his life, he thought that he would be immune to the tingly confusion that love created. But he had been wrong. He was still in love with Rory, and he always would be. He thought back to when they first met.

* * *

_He first met Rory Adler in the fall of 1989. Her long red curls, and deep blue eyes had entranced him from the moment he saw her. He didn't approach her at first, because he knew that she would never want to be with a crook like him. He was in his early thirties, and she was in her mid-twenties. He hadn't yet climbed the occupational ladder of organized crime, and was still considered a rookie. His days were spent collecting debts, and using whatever force necessary to collect those debts. _

_She was on campus at a local college, trying to earn a degree in journalism. She wore jeans, and a long, white button down coat, and wrinkled leaves danced around her feet in the soft wind. Martin followed her for several minutes, contemplating how to make his move. Suddenly, she whipped around to face him._

_"Why are you following me?" she asked. Her cheeks were a rosy shade of pink from the cool autumn air._

_"I'm not," Martin replied. He was handsome in his youth. His black hair was combed neatly, and he wore a casual suit. A shiny new watch hung on his wrist, a watch that had been bought with money he had earned from criminal activities. _

_"Yes, you are. Do you know how I could tell that you were following me?" she asked with a sly smile._

_"How?" Martin asked._

_"Your cologne. It's very strong."_

_Martin raised his wrist to his nose and inhaled the scent of his expensive cologne. "I'm sorry," he said._

_"It's okay. I like the way it smells. Now, what's your name and why are you following me?" she asked._

_Martin stepped closer to her, his face inches from hers._

_"My name is Martin Armando. And I was following you because I was trying to think of an excuse to talk to you," Martin explained, embarrassed._

_"I'm Rory Adler. Do you go to school here, Martin?" Rory asked softly._

_"No, I don't."_

_"Then why are you on campus at all?" Rory asked._

_Martin shuffled his feet. He couldn't tell her the truth, that he was there to collect a debt from some frat boy who had borrowed more than he could pay back. So, he lied: "I'm here to meet a friend."_

_"What's his name? Maybe I know him."_

_"You don't know him. Trust me. Why don't you and I go and get some coffee?" Martin suggested. Rory flashed an embarrassed smile._

_"I can't. I'm meeting my sister at the library. But I'll give you my number, and maybe we can get coffee another time?"_

_Martin smiled. "I'd like that."_

* * *

The sound of the door to _Interrogation Room 2_ slamming shut brought Martin out of his memory. Gibbs sat down across from him.

"Why are you smiling, _Mar-teen_?" Gibbs asked sarcastically.

"I was just thinking of Rory. The woman who has caused all of this drama," Martin replied.

"Are you angry with her?" Gibbs asked.

"No. It was not her fault that NCIS couldn't handle a simple murder investigation. She didn't wrongly arrest herself, now did she?" Martin replied with a sly smile, trying to anger Gibbs.

"Oh, NCIS can handle a murder investigation. In fact, you are under investigation for murder _right now_."

"Are you sure it wasn't Rory? I know you like to accuse her of things she did not do," Martin replied smartly.

"You like to make jokes, don't you? If you really want to hear something funny, I've got things I can tell you that will probably make you laugh all night long. Like, did you know that we found not only Rory's finger print on the murder weapon from the first Adler case, but yours as well?" Gibbs said.

"I know nothing about this 'first Adler case'."

"Sure you do. A Marine was found dead in the trunk of a car that was registered to Rory Adler. During the first investigation, she claimed that the body was planted and that she was being framed. Can you think of anyone who would like to frame your girlfriend for murder?" Gibbs asked.

"She claimed that she was being framed?" Martin asked. Gibbs nodded. "Then why didn't you listen to her? Obviously she _was_ framed if the case has been reopened."

"A hand gun was found in the glove box. Bullets from the gun match the bullet in the Marine. We found Rory Adler's finger print on the gun along with a partial print that we couldn't find a match to. Surely, if Rory had been framed, then this partial print has to belong to whoever was framing her, right?" Gibbs asked.

"I suppose so," Martin said quietly, unsure of what Gibbs was playing at.

"Well, when the Adler case was reopened, we re-analyzed that gun. And you know what? We got a match for the partial print. It was your print. Did you frame your own girlfriend for the murder of that innocent Marine?"

Martin began to shake with anger.

"That innocent Marine, didn't deserve to die. And Rory didn't deserve to be arrested for something she didn't do. Which do you feel more guilty about? Murdering an innocent man? Or blaming your own girlfriend for it?" Gibbs asked.

Martin jumped to feet and pointed a shaking finger at Gibbs. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

Gibbs stood too. "_Sit your ass down,_" he snarled.

Martin wasn't done. "That so-called innocent Marine owed me more money than you've ever seen at one time! And I DID NOT frame my girlfriend for his murder!"

"So, who killed the Marine? You? Or Rory? I don't really care who it was, but I can guarantee you that one of you will be heading to prison. It's up to you to decide who that's going to be," Gibbs said.

"I killed the Marine. But I did not plant his body in Rory's car," Martin admitted with defeat.

* * *

Drool spilled onto the table of _Interrogation Room 1_ as Rory Adler slept. Her face was pressed against the cool, black table top, as she quietly snored. Several hours had passed since Gibbs had left Rory. It was early morning when Gibbs returned. He cleared his throat to wake her.

"Morning," he grunted.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rory asked angrily.

"I had things to do, that are none of your business. I forgot to ask you earlier, why did you dye your hair black?" Gibbs said casually.

"What? So that you wouldn't recognize me, Gibbs. I've been on the run, you know."

"I liked it better red. Now, let's get down to business. I have a few more questions for you," Gibbs said.

"No, I already told you everything. You're supposed to let me go now."

"I just interrogated Martin. He confessed to killing the Marine from the first case," Gibbs said. He watched her blue eyes carefully for any response.

Rory inhaled sharply. "What's going to happen to him?"

"Well, he's going to prison for a while. But if you give me the answers I need, I can put him away for even longer."

Rory flinched at his words. "How are you going to do that?" she asked.

"When you tell me about how Martin killed your sister, I might be able to put him away for that too," Gibbs said quietly.

Rory's mouth fell open. "I'm not talking about that."

"Do her the justice of having her killer put away," Gibbs said.

"She's gone, Gibbs. Let her rest."

"The only way you're getting out of here is if you tell me about your sister," Gibbs said firmly.

A tear slipped out of the corner of Rory's eye, as she prepared to bare her soul to a stranger.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N - This is the final chapter of this story. Sorry, if some of you don't like the way this story ends, but this is how I planned it from the beginning. I feel like this is a classic NCIS ending. Thanks for reading. **_

"Her name was Ava. She was three years older than me. She and I were very close, she always was very protective of me. And she hated Martin, from the moment she met him," Rory said quietly, with her eyes glued to the table. Gibbs watched her closely.

"Why did she hate him?"

"She knew that he was no good for me. She was always trying to talk me into leaving him. Ava and Martin even had a few public arguments. Ava slapped him at my birthday dinner last year," Rory said with a small chuckle at the memory.

"Martin and I have been arguing lately, he's been accusing me of having an affair. Whenever we argued, I'd call Ava and vent about it."

"Are you having an affair?" Gibbs asked as he scribbled something down on a note pad.

"What?" Rory asked, momentarily shocked by the question. "That's personal, Gibbs."

"So you are having an affair?"

"No!" Rory hissed. "Of course not. I would never."

Gibbs nodded. "Why did Martin think you were having an affair?"

Rory glanced at the one-way mirror behind Gibbs, nervous that they weren't alone. "I've been informing on Martin for the FBI."

Gibbs showed no sign of surprise at Rory's revelation. "I know," he said.

"How do you know?"

"I have friends at the FBI. Go on."

Rory glared at him for a moment before continuing.

"One night, we were having our usual argument when I decided that I would finally take Ava's advice and leave. So I called her, packed my bags, and went to stay with her," Rory explained.

"I stayed with her for about a week before Martin started making threats. He was jealous. Ava visited the same convenience store every day after work, Martin knew her schedule. He had one of his guys plant a bomb in the 7-Eleven, my sister went in and she didn't come back out."

"How do you know it was Martin?" Gibbs asked.

"He had been threatening to do it all week," Rory said, sadly.

"And you didn't try to prevent it?" Gibbs asked incredulously.

"I begged her to stay home, but Ava lived for her job. She thought Martin was bluffing."

"What did Ava do for a living?" Gibbs asked.

"She worked for the FBI. She was a Special Agent like yourself. She was the one who convinced me to become an informant."

A single tear slipped out of the corner of Rory's eye. She quickly wiped it away, hoping Gibbs hadn't seen it. But he _had_ seen it.

The sound of a fist banging on glass rang throughout the small room. Rory's eyes grew wide as she realized that someone had been listening from the other side of the glass.

"Gibbs!" she hissed. "You said that we were alone!"

"That's Director Vance. He just gave me the OK to let you go."

"Oh. What will happen to Martin?" she asked.

"He's going away for a long time."

Rory stood, and smoothed out her clothes. She ran a hand through her hair and winced when her hand brushed against an open cut from running through the woods.

"DiNozzo is waiting for you in the hall," Gibbs said. "He'll escort you out of the building."

Rory extended her hand to Gibbs, and he shook it.

"Thank you, Agent Gibbs. I owe you one."

"I'll be sure to collect."

Rory left the room and Agent DiNozzo escorted her out of the building. She walked out the front door of NCIS, and breathed in the fresh air. _I'm not free yet, _she thought. A yellow cab was waiting for her. She got in, and asked to be driven to the airport.

* * *

A thin woman dressed in all black stood alone on the busy sidewalk. She was holding a large black suitcase, and a manila envelope in her hands. As people walked past the woman, no one dared to get close to her. There was something about her that was intimidating. A yellow cab rolled to a stop in front of the woman, and she smiled a small smile. _Rory._

Rory Adler climbed out of the cab, and approached the woman in black.

"Hello, Sis."

Rory reached out and embraced the woman in a tight hug.

"Do you have my passport?" Rory asked as they broke apart.

"Yes," the woman answered.

"What about yours?"

"I've got them both," the woman said. She waved the manila envelope through the air.

"Good. Then Let's go. Monterrey, Mexico, here we come." Rory grabbed the woman's arm and together they began to walk through a door, where they would buy their plane tickets and fly off into the sunset. But before they could enter the building, a tall man with gray hair blocked their path. He smiled a sly smile at them.

"Hello, Rory. Hello, Ava. I hate to interrupt your little permanent vacation, but you two are coming with me," Gibbs said with a smile.

"This isn't what it looks like, Gibbs-" Rory began.

"Wait, who's Gibbs?" Ava asked her sister.

Rory spun around, preparing to run for it when she slammed against a hard surface. Much to her dismay, she looked up into the eyes of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.

"Where are ya running to, Rory?" he asked. "Oh, and you must be Ava! You look pretty good for a dead woman."

People were beginning to stop and stare. Gibbs slapped a pair of cuffs onto Rory's wrists, while McGee cuffed Ava Adler.

"You and your sister faked her death," Gibbs said. "How creative. I knew you were smarter than Martin Armando, but I didn't know you were equally as devious."

"We only faked Ava's death to protect her. Martin blew up that 7-Eleven, and for all he knows Ava _was_ in there," Rory said pleadingly.

"But she wasn't," Gibbs declared angrily. "And that means that you've been lying to me all along, Rory. And that's not something you should ever do."

The team took Rory and Ava Adler back to NCIS. And this time, there would be no escaping.


End file.
